-The Lead: The Clark University baseball team tallied 13 hits in an eight-run victory over the Buccaneers of Mass. Maritime on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference action. After the Buccaneers trailed by just four through the first seven innings, the Cougars used a six-run rally in the top of the eighth inning to pull the game out of reach with a ten-point advantage, 10-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED

-Clark took an early lead putting up three runs in the top of the first inning. Juniors Andrew Thibault (Nashua, N.H.) and Derek Lefebvre (Groton, Mass.) both walked to start things off. Senior Zach Kelley (Hadley, Mass.) doubled down the left field line to bring Thibault home and put Lefebvre in scoring position on third. Sophomore James Huber (Rochester, N.Y.) singled up the middle to score Lefebvre and Kelley for the 3-0 lead.

-The Cougars extended their lead to four with one more run in the top of the second. After getting on base by a walk, junior Dylan Horn (Sterling, Conn.) stole second to get himself into scoring position and Lefebvre cranked and RBI single to right field to send him home for the 4-0 advantage.

-The Buccaneers got two back in the bottom of the third when first year Jacob Rogers (Dighton, Mass.) crossed home on a wild pitch and his classmate Alex Schlapak (Dover, N.H.) scored on a fielder's choice play at second for the second out of the inning (4-2).

-Clark added another run in the top of the sixth when Horn led off with a single to center field and stole his second base of the day and Kelley batted him in with a single to shortstop (5-2). A run in the top of the sixth put the Cougars up by four when junior Nick Jordan (Seaford, N.Y.) sent an RBI single to left center to score his classmate Callum Sawden (Old Lyme, Conn.) from second (6-2).

-The Cougars doubled their score in the top of the eighth when they rallied six more runs together that included RBIs from junior Ryan Ruhlin (Portland, Maine), sophomore Kai Herko (Friday Harbor, Wash.), Jordan, and Thibault (12-2).

-After Clark pulled ahead 14-2 in the top of the ninth the Buccaneers came together for four runs in the bottom of the inning. Junior Jackson Simone (Seattle, Wash.) sent an RBI single up the middle in the final inning before his classmate Matt Langan (North Easton, Mass.) sent a two-out, three RBI, homer over the fence to pull the hosts within eight. That is as close as they would come as the Cougars held on for the 14-6 final victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

-Kelley led the Cougars with a 3-for-4 day at the plate, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Huber went 2-for-3 with two RBIs while Jordan was 1-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.

-Langan's homer put him at the top of the statistics board with three RBIs in a 1-for-1 showing at the plate.

-Senior Dan Shaw (Arlington, Mass.) started on the mound for Clark, pitched four innings, did not give up a single hit, struck out two batters, and allowed two runs scored. Sophomore Sean Savage (Berkeley Heights, N.J.) came in for the next four innings, also did not allow a hit and struck out three batters. The Cougar's defense went eight innings without giving up a hit. Savage earned the win on the mound and improves to 1-0 this season.

-Senior Brian Kwedor (Marshfield, Mass.) started on the mound for the Buccaneers. He pitched four innings, allowed four hits, four runs scored (four earned), and struck out six batters. He falls to 0-2 on the season.

-Clark collected a total of 13 hits in their 40 at bats while Mass. Maritime finished with just three hits in their 29 at bats.

UP NEXT

-Clark hosts the Judges of Brandeis University in their first home game of the season on Saturday, March 16th for a double header starting at 12:00 p.m. They will return to the field for two more games on Sunday, March 17th when they host Saint Joseph's College of Maine starting at noon.

-Mass. Maritime is back at home tomorrow, Thursday, March 14th for a game with Wentworth starting at 3:30 p.m.